Internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

The rotor ( 2 ), rotates in consequence of combustion and consequent expansion of gases, inserted in a cylinder ( 1 ). The rotor has cavities that, when turning, in conjunction with the opening and closing of valves ( 3  and  4 ), will forming chambers destined to generate the procedures of admission of gas, compression, combustion and exhaust. The rotor has cavities designed to house the intake and compression chambers ( 11 ) and different cavities intended to accommodate the combustion and exhaust chambers ( 9, 10 ), ie, the gases are admitted into a chamber and compressed, and transferred to another chamber, where combustion and exhaust occur. The passage of the gas already compressed, from the first to the second chamber is made through the opening ( 5 ) in the inner wall of the cylinder. In this opening are located the spark plugs ( 6 ) and/or the fuel injectors, depending on the fuel used.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The internal combustion engines are intended to equip different machines as chainsaws, ships, trains or propeller aircrafts, however, the most usual and well-known use of internal combustion engines are automobiles. The internal combustion engine presented here is intended must be an option to other existing internal combustion engines.

STATE OF THE ART

The most used internal combustion engines are compounds by the set piston-rod-crankshaft fitted to the majority of cars, using fuels like gasoline or diesel. Are also known the Wankel engine (patented in 1933) and the Quasiturbine engine (patented in 1996).

All the above engines have a common operating cycle: the intake, compression, combustion and exhaust. The internal combustion engine here presented performs the same cycle.

The usual engines, two or four strokes, are characterized by the movement of the piston being transmitted by the rods to the crankshaft. This mechanism implies that the piston engine make successive movements in opposite directions, which, itself represents a waste of energy, compared to engines using rotors.

The Wankel engine consists in a roughly triangular rotor that rotates inside an oval chamber using the ends of the oval to allow the expansion of gases caused by the combustion, thereby causing the rotary motion to the rotor. The three ends of the rotor must be in permanent contact with the oval, implying an irregular rotation of the rotor, causing reliability problems, which caused that the last car, with this type of engine had ceased to be marketed in 2009, despite considering that this engine achieves higher performance than traditional engines.

The same use of the oval shape of the outer cylinder happens in the Quasiturbine.

The rotor of the internal combustion engine here presented revolves inside a circular cylinder and not in an oval cylinder as the Wankel or the Quasiturbine. Use valves whose route crosses the route of the rotor, while in the Wenkel and Quasiturbine engines there are no mechanisms whose path crosses the path of their rotors.

One of the most significant differences of the internal combustion engine here presented, compared to the others who have rotor is the existence of cameras exclusively intended for the phases of intake and compression, and cameras exclusively intended for the phases of combustion and exhaust, existing a passage that allows that the gases, already compressed, be transferred from the first to the second cameras.

Also differs from the Wankel and Quasiturbine engines as these engines need to turn 360 degrees to complete their operation cycle, while the internal combustion engine here presented may require only 180 degrees if the rotor has two sets of chambers intake/compression and combustion/exhaust and the external cylinder have two sets of valves and the respective openings to passage of the compressed gases. If the engine is provided with a larger number of sets of chambers and respective valves then can complete a full cycle, covering a lower number of degrees.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The internal combustion engine here presented consists in a cylinder that houses the rotor and valves. The cylinder and rotor are coupled by bearings, or similar mechanisms that allow the rotation of the rotor, always in the same direction, inside the cylinder. The chambers of intake, compression, combustion and exhaust are formed by the spaces created between the rotor and the outer cylinder coordinated with the opening and closing of the valves. The cylinder also has windows for intake and exhaust gases.

The route of the valves crosses the rotor path, and these pieces work in a coordination to ensure the processes of intake, compression, combustion and exhaust.

The particularity of the internal combustion engine here presented is to have chambers, designed to make the admission and compression and differentiated chambers to make the combustion and exhaust. To each intake/compression chamber corresponds a combustion/exhaust chamber. Each rotor can accommodate one, two, or multiple sets of intake/compression chambers and equal number of combustion/exhaust chambers.

The beginning of the operating cycle is the admission process. When rotate in the direction of its operation, the cavity of the rotor creates a space next to the intake/compression valve. In this position, the inlet is open so, this space is filled by the inlet gases. The rotor continues to rotate until, in its circular path, reaches the next intake/compression valve and only there the intake gases will be compressed, because the intake/compression valve will close. Immediately before this valve, exists a space in the cylinder, which allows that at the end of compression, the compressed gases be transferred to the chamber, in which, the combustion will take place. The combustion chambers, are created between the rotor and the closing of the combustion/exhaust valves. With the combustion and the consequent expansion of gases, the rotor is forced to rotate in the direction of its functioning, because at this stage the combustion/exhaust valve is closed, which means closest to the rotor shaft, and prevented from opening freely. With combustion, the combustion chamber will maximize the volume and rotate till the next exhaust outlet, where the gases resulting from the combustion are expelled to the outside of the cylinder, due to the closing of the combustion/exhaust valve, which means that this valve moves in the direction of the center of the engine, combined with the gradual decrease in the volume of the exhaust chamber, obtained by the continuous movement of the rotor. The exhaust phase completes the cycle of operation, however, during a cycle, other cycles can start, even simultaneously.

In the case of attached FIGS. 1 to 5, two sets of chambers are used in each rotor and therefore two cycles are initiated simultaneously.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In order to be more comprehensible, the description of the internal combustion engine here presented, we used the FIG. 1, which is the drawing of the engine, in cut by the dashed dash-dot. Thus, in all figures, the representation on the left, or below the page, depending on the direction of reading, shows the inlet and on the right, or above, the exhaust ports, located on the opposite base of the cylinder. Consequently, the representation of the rotor on the left, or further down the page, rotates in the clockwise direction and representation of the right view, rotates in a counter clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrows on FIGS. 2 to 5.

The operation of the internal combustion engine here presented, is based on a rotor (2), which rotates on its own axis, inserted in a cylinder (1) which has its axis coincident with the axis of the rotor.

The rotor has cavities that are designed to perform the procedures of intake, compression, combustion and exhaust, and these combined with the movement of the valves, (3) and (4), through the use of a camshaft or any other mechanism that can replace it, and therefore not shown in the attached figures.

There are other systems that this internal combustion engine cannot prescind, also not represented in the figures, for example, the lubrication system, cooling or electrical, since the one presented here, is the concept of the operation of this internal combustion engine.

On the rotor (2), in the chambers in which occurs the intake and compression phases, there are sidewalls that prevent that these chambers ever been exposed the exhaust ports (8). In the chambers where take place the combustion and exhaust there are side walls that prevent that these chambers be exposed to the inlet (7), which means that the admissions are made in one of the bases of the cylinder and the exhaust in the opposite base.

It is in the outer cylinder that there are ports that allow the inlet and outlet of gas, and cavities (5) that, in certain rotor positions, allow the passage of compressed gases from the inlet/compression chamber to the combustion/exhaust chamber. These cavities allows the transference of compressed gas, but also houses the spark plug (6) if the fuel requires it, as in the case of gasoline, and/or fuel injectors, if the option is by feeding this kind, usual in diesel engines.

The internal combustion engine here presented uses two valves in each set of intake/compression (11) and combustion (9)/exhaust (10) chambers. One of these valves closes, that is, moves toward the centre of the engine when combustion and exhaust takes place and the other valve closes in the intake and compression stage. So, we can designate the first valves as intake/compression (3) valves and the second valves as combustion/exhaust (4) valves.

The valves, as well as the rotor, occupies all width of the cylinder, between bases, which prevents passage of gases between the chambers, except for the holes of compressed gas (5), designed precisely for this purpose.

FIGS. 1 to 5 reflect the operation of an internal combustion engine, which uses the Otto cycle (spark ignition) used in engines which use gasoline as fuel, so, the drawings depicts the spark plugs (6) in the holes of passage of compressed gases, between each of the valve assemblies (3 and 4).

In conventional gasoline engines, the compression ratio of the inlet gas usually lies between 8:1 and 12:1, that is, the intake chamber has a volume of between 8 and 12 times higher than the volume of the chamber in which the ignition occurs. For engines that use diesel as fuel, the ignition candles are unnecessary, employing the Rudolf Diesel cycle (compression ignition) and the design of the chambers is resized so that the compression rate is between 15:1 and 25:1, instead of between 8:1 and 12:1 as in the case of the Otto cycle.

FIG. 1 shows the internal combustion engine, in section, by the dot-dash lines. In the leftmost representation can be observed the admission windows, completely exposed given the rotor position so, is represented by continuous line. Only the intake manifold (12) is hidden, so is shown by the dashed lines. In centre, we can see the assembly, in section, being possible to observe one of the two intake manifolds (12) and one of the two exhaust manifolds (13) and please note that, in this position of the rotor and cutting, there is a small gap between the rotor and the cylinder representing the exhaust chamber and it respective wall, which prevents it to be exposed to the inlet window. In the rightmost representation of FIG. 1, we can see the exhaust ports partially concealed by the rotor. Undercover parts are shown hatched, as all invisibilities, not only in FIG. 1, as in all other drawings.

FIGS. 2 to 5 are less detailed but useful to help to explain the operation of the internal combustion engine here presented.

The position that lies the rotor in FIG. 1 is the position in which the spark plugs make the ignition, then the subsequent combustion and expansion of gases, causing the rotor rotation in the clockwise direction, if we observe the base of the cylinder in which we see the inlet, that is, represented in the left (or bottom) side. Obviously, if we consider the representation of the right side, the rotor rotates in the opposite direction of clockwise.

In this rotor position, the combustion/exhaust valves are in the closed position, this is, nearer the rotor shaft, and its complete opening due to the expansion of the combustion gases is prevented by the existence of a control mechanism, for instance, a camshaft. In one side of these valves takes place the ignition and on the other side of the same valve takes place the exhaust phase, since the exhaust ports are open and valves closed, preventing exhaust gases remain inside the engine.

Still in FIG. 1, the intake/compression valves are fully open, allowing the passage of the ends of the rotor, as well as the inlet windows allowing the entrance of inlet gases.

In FIG. 2 we can see that the expansion of the gases, given the combustion, has already caused the rotation of the rotor at about 45°, but the combustion chambers have not yet reached their maximum volume. The combustion, at this stage, takes place in front of the inlet, but given the sidewalls of the combustion chamber, on the side of the inlet, these windows are covered up, so, represented in dashed lines. It also emerges that, from the point of ignition, the combustion/exhaust valves opens progressively because its command mechanism requires it. At this stage of the engine cycle, the exhaust process is almost completed. Concerning the intake/compression valves remains fully open from the point of ignition.

In FIG. 3, the rotor covered about 125°. At this stage the intake/compression valves begin their closing, starting the compression of inlet gases previously admitted, in FIGS. 1 and 2. During this phase has already begun the process of exhaust because the combustion/exhaust chambers already reached the outlet windows.

In FIG. 4, the rotor ran about 145° and takes place the phase of compression of intake gases. In this phase, the rotor will have to rely on the kinetic energy accumulated to proceed to full compression of the intake gas or energy released by other rotors if the motor have more than one. While in the front of the intake valves are compressed the previously admitted gases, after those same valves are exposed the inlet windows, avoiding any vacuum effect between the valves and the rotor, proceeding to new admission of gases. The process of extracting exhaust gases continues.

In FIG. 5, the rotor ran about 175°. Combustion/exhaust valves begin their closing and intake/compression valves are almost completely open. At this stage, the rotor end reaches the orifice which houses the spark plug and which allows that the inlet gas, compressed, be transferred from the inlet/compression chamber to the combustion/exhaust chamber. From this point, when the rotor runs 180°, returns to the moment and position of FIG. 1, because of its symmetry.

In the case of the shown drawings, in each complete revolution of the rotor, two combustions occurs in each one of the two combustion chambers. If the engine has three sets of intake/compression chambers and combustion/exhaust chambers as well as three sets of valves intake/compression and compression/exhaust as well as three sets of inlet and exhaust windows, could complete its cycle in ⅓ of a complete turn, which means that, in one turn of the rotor, each one of 3 combustion chambers will have 3 combustions.

The complete cycle of the internal combustion engine here presented is smaller, in degrees of rotation of the rotor, the greater is the number of sets of intake/compression and compression/exhaust chambers and respective other mechanisms, such as valve assemblies, windows and sparks, it has.

This engine, depending on their size, is industrially applicable in equipment such as chainsaws, motorcycles, cars, trucks, generators, trains, planes, ships and all other equipment that currently use internal combustion engines. 

1- Internal combustion engine, characterized by a rotor (2) constituted by a single and undeformable piece that rotates always in the same direction in a concentric axis within a circular cylinder (1) having cavities which are intended solely as intake and compression chambers (11), and other different cavities interspersed with the firsts, are intended solely as a combustion (9) and outlet (10) chambers, and all these chambers are formed by the spaces created between the rotor, the circular cylinder and valves (3 and 4), whereby the cylinder houses the rotor and the valves, contemplate spaces or openings for the operation thereof, and openings that allow the gas inlet (7) and the outlet of the exhaust (8) and cavities (5) which, in addition to housing the candle and/or the fuel injectors (6) allow, in certain positions of the rotor, to perform a process of passing of compressed gas from the intake/compression chambers to the combustion/exhaust chambers that succeed them, taking into account the direction of rotation of the rotor, which means that, at the moment of transition, compressed gases have a movement contrary to the direction of rotation of the rotor, in consequence of the movements of the intake/compression valves (3) and the combustion/exhaust valves (4). 2- Internal combustion engine, according to claim n. 1, characterized for the rotor and the cylinder having one, two or more sets of chambers for intake/compression and combustion/exhaust, as well as openings for gas passage of the first to the second chambers, respectively. 3- Internal combustion engine, according to claim n. 1, characterized by the inlet and exhaust ports be located on the flat surfaces of the cylinder, on the curved surface of the cylinder, in the intake and exhaust valves, or combined with opening and closing of these. 4- Internal combustion engine, according to claims n. 1 and n. 3 characterized by the valves being controlled by camshafts or any other mechanism that produces the same effects. 5- Internal combustion engine, according to claim n. 1, characterized by having one or more cylinders and respective rotors, in the same way that currently exist single-cylinder engines, usually in motorcycles, and motors which consist of several cylinders and respective pistons, usually in automobiles. 